I bet by now every one of you have watched Lidstrom’s NHL 36 special. I was a few days late, but wow, it was worth it. Not only was it a great watch, it also got me incredibly excited to have four weeks of these, next season on 24/7.

Now, I did have one huge critique of it. Rather than focusing on Lidstrom’s incredible ability and/or lifestyle, the focus was on the elephant in the room: his age. Hell, the episode started off with “Nick Lidstrom is focused on another number, his age, 41 years old and having to play two games in 36 hours.” That was the unfortunate motif that the producers picked. The entire show dealt with the fact that this might be his last season. I understand why they decided to do that, but I hated to hear it over and over.

Hit the jump to continue my review of NHL 36 and an aside on Nick’s first venture into movies.

What I didn’t hate to hear is the fact that he still absolutely loves the game and his incredible routine that goes along with it. I love the fact that he rides with Holmstrom to every game. It seems like those two are the least alike of any of the two players on the team, which makes them a perfect fit. I even more love the fact that Homer drives an F-150 (if I remember right). Just seems like something Homer would drive. I can’t see the guy driving a Porsche or Lambo. Hell I’m almost sure he probably gets into a fender bender a day in the parking lots. Seems like a Homer thing to do.

Anyways, his love of the game did shine through the negativity of the announcer. But the other thing that shown through was just how nice and cool of a guy Nick seems to be. As Mike Babcock put it: “When you see him around his family, when you see him around his teammates, when you see him in the community, how can anybody that good be that humble?””

I don’t know. It defies logic. Just like the other questions about Nick do: How can anyone that Swedish sound so American? How can anyone be getting better at age 41? How can anyone be so damn…perfect?

Liam Neeson ain’t got nothing on Nick. Quick aside: Can’t you see Lidstrom calling up Tim Thomas and whispering into the phone:

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I’m not going to give you any money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for goalies like you. If you let the Cup go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

[Scene ends with Thomas dropping the phone with a panicked look on his face, curled up in his Glenn Beck snuggie.]

Anyways, just like the fan said in the episode….four more years Nick. That’s all we want. Four more years.